revivalproject | Network: 002

Entry tags:

Network: 002

[His communicator is propped up on something, while Aden is working- obviously working on making one of the abandoned houses livable.

Currently, he's pulling down rotting wood with a crowbar he's managed to find while scavenging, rather aggressively at that. There's this energy about him that suggests that if he wasn't trying to repair the house, he'd be using the crowbar alone to tear it down.]

This place is a nightmare. There's a mess- anywhere- you- look- [The slight pause between each word is caused by him finding a plank that's giving him a bit of trouble to pull free.

With a few aggressive tugs with his bare hands after loosening it with the crowbar, he drops it onto the pile at his feet.]

How in the deepest Corellian Hell have you all managed in this absolute- fucking- mess- !?

[Another plank gets violently yanked out. The outlet for aggression is helping, but not nearly enough.

Anyone observant enough might be able to tell that there's pain in his aggression too.] For those of you who might be wondering- no, I'm not losing my mind.

[... Sure, Aden. Sure.] But I'm going to, at this rate.

[He lets out a frustrated little screech and yanks another plank out.] I guess this is what one might call a cry for some conversation while I try to at least fix one place up.

[And not a cry for help.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

[Billy looks a little concerned at the unspoken aggression, head tilting at the camera.]

You all right? It's kind of easy to go stir crazy in this place.

I'm just- well- and- fine-

[Yank yank, tug tug at another stubborn plank.] I'm not going stir crazy, it's the mess that's driving me out of my fucking mind-

[Too much visual input. Everything's too busy.

He hates it.]

...You wanna hand maybe? A lot of us cleared out our places early on. I can swing by and help if you need another set of hands.

Great for a lot of you. [There's just. An incredible amount of snark in that statement.

He breathes in, then out again.]

Sure. Yeah. Maybe this place will look less gross quicker.

Be calm, Aden. The stress is not good for you.

I'm not stressed, Vector. [He doesn't think so, anyway.]

This place is just... Chaotic, is all. I'm managing.

We understand. Do you need us to come over?

... Yes.

[He can't even be grumpy about it.

Vector's presence is just calming for him, regardless.] Assuming this all hasn't scared you off.

[He's joking.]

[Which is exactly why he volunteered to come over.]

We have yet to be scared off by anything you got us into, beloved. We will be there shortly.

Normally I'm not handling one of these though.

[Not that a crowbar is all that different from his tendency to use knives over his blaster or blaster rifle.

He's joking again, though. He'd never hurt Vector, regardless of how worked up he was.]

There's... Something I'm going to have to tell you once you get here.

[Vector arrives at Aden's location not too long after his last message, curious as to what the Chiss has to say to him. He brought a couple of cold drinks, just some bottled water, for the two of them.]

We are here, beloved. What is it you wished to tell us?

[To say that Vector's presence is calming for Aden would be an understatement. There is no one else that can make him feel at ease so quickly, even when he's having a very, very bad day.]

It's... Something of a long story.

[He doesn't actually want to tell him, because he doesn't want Vector worrying about him. But he deserves to know.]

Maybe you've figured out parts of it already, but I think you have the right to hear it from me.

Even if we have, we still wish to hear it from you.

[Vector can see that Aden is already less stressed now that he's around. He just hopes Aden can get to a point where he doesn't need Vector around to keep him calm.]

I think we're both going to want to have a seat for this conversation.

[So he sits, and waits for Vector to do the same, and he takes a moment to think about how to say things.]

After... After everything with Jadus... I guess the Dark Council saw me as a threat. Because an agent should never be a threat to a Sith or... whatever.

[It's fine if he shoots some Sith, but not if he fends off one like Jadus, he supposes. Yeah, he doesn't really get it either. It wasn't like he'd shown signs of disloyalty to the Empire. But Sith are gonna Sith.]

Intelligence, they... Put a switch in my brain. Brainwashed me to ensure they had control.

[...] The SIS, Ardun Kothe, Hunter... They used this switch against me, and I don't know if it was the strain of living the life of a double agent or brainwashing not being an exact science, but... Either way it's resulted in brain damage. You remember when you, Kaliyo, and Lokin found me passed out on the floor of the Phantom, right?

[...] When we headed to Dromund Kaas right after? That was the first time I realized myself, that I'd had an episode. Hallucinations and everything.

[... Yeah, it's a lot.] I couldn't even talk about it, or resist my conditioning, Vector. They used that switch against me and I couldn't... Talk or move or anything. I was conscious, thinking, screaming in my mind, but... It was like being locked away inside my own head...

[It hadn't been a good time. And he'd felt very, very alone.] Brainwashing's gone now. But the damage is still there... And the way this place is, it's... A lot. Feels like I'm being bombarded with way too much visual input no matter where I go and my brain can't sort through it all and it... Hurts, I suppose.

[Vector listens patiently, giving the occasional sad frown as Aden recounts what happened. He knew that Aden had gone through something to make him act strangely, that his fainting spells weren't normal, but he wasn't aware of the extent of what happened.]

We are sorry you had to go through that.

[He reaches out to squeeze Aden's hand.]

What they did to you was wrong.

I know. I gave them everything. Left my home, my people. For the Ascendancy, for the Empire. Thought I could serve both, be a good little agent, and this is what I got in return.

[The anger and the bitterness are things he's still working through. And maybe he'll never get over it.

Maybe his loyalty will never recover, either. He doesn't know.

One day, the Minister of Intelligence will get what's coming to him, though. Just like Ardun Kothe. Just like Hunter. And when his time comes, maybe it'll be twice as violent. Because maybe he saw it as a way to save his life, but Aden would rather die than sign his free will away, and the Minister had gone and made that choice for him.

What they did to him was wrong indeed.] It's been... Difficult, ever since then.

[He's comforted by Vector squeezing his hand though. Vector is the only person who can make him feel so at ease.] Controlling my moods, dealing with a busy environment... My reaction times and memory aren't quite what they used to be.

[Those he can manage though, given that he has his datapad with him.] The headaches can be pretty bad, too.

You sacrificed enough for the Empire and your people. You should not have had to go through that.

[Vector can heal, but even he's unsure if he can heal something like that. Certainly it can't be fixed while they're on this planet, this galaxy. There has to be some kind of medical science out there back in their galaxy that can help him, though.]

We are here for you.

I probably haven't yet- I'm not dead, Vector. As soon as we get back to our world, we'll be caught up in Sith games again, I just know it.

[Aden's not trying to be negative- just realistic. There's no place for them, other than the Sith Empire. He won't run with his tail between his legs back to the Ascendancy, and after Kothe and the SIS team, he's not eager to turn traitor either.

The Sith Empire might be a nightmare, but at least they're upfront about it.] Well, we'll manage though. We've got each other.

[He offers a smile, a small one, but a smile nonetheless.] I'm here for you too. I always will be. Even if that might be a bit hard to believe right now.

[Or maybe it isn't. After all, for all his faults, Aden's always supported Vector in all that he does. That's not something that's new.]

[Vector lays his other hand over Aden's, giving his hands another good squeeze.]

One day, we may get away from it all. We will have a place to call our own, and the Sith will never find us.

[He reaches up to tuck a stray hair behind Aden's ear.]

It's nice to dream about that, at least.

[Nice to dream indeed.] I just don't know where we'd go. Republic's just as bad.

[How is he supposed to think any different, after what Kothe did to him. Using his brainwashing as though it was nothing at all.]

I can't... Say that I want to leave completely. Intelligence as we know it might have ceased to exist, but something will come out of the ashes, because that's the Imperial way, isn't it? The Sith way.

Never stay down for long.

[He knows enough to know that.] I don't want to be caught up in Sith games again, but... I think there will be agents in the future who need my guidance. Or my protection. Maybe even more Chiss agents.

[Considering the Ascendancy's relationship with the Empire. That was why he'd been sent, after all. Sent, and had his view of the world shattered.] Is that arrogant of me? To think that I could?

We think that you could too. You have been through much, and you are a good agent and spy. We saw what you can do, the victories you've pulled, even when things seemed inevitable.

We think that a new Intelligence could be formed from what you know, and that more Chiss agents could look to you for guidance.

[Vector reaches up to touch Aden again, this time stroking his cheek.]

[He leans into the touch with a soft little sigh.]

I hope I can. And I'm grateful for your faith in me.

[Aden doesn't know what he's done to deserve having someone like Vector in his life. He's too good for him.]

For now though, it's neither here nor there. For now, I just... Need to make at least one place that doesn't send my brain into meltdown.

We can assist you in cleaning up, but remember that this planet has been in ruins for some time, and it will be best to pace yourself when it comes to a clean living space.

[His thumb strokes Aden's cheekbone.]

I know... I know. [He relaxes further, leaning more fully into his beloved's touch, reaching up to take a gentle hold of his hand, before turning his head slightly so he can press a kiss to Vector's palm.]

I love you.

[Vector uses his fingers to stroke Aden's face some more, gently pressing his palm to those blue lips.]

And we love you. Always.

[Aden hums, and tilts his head so he can press his lips to the inside of Vector's wrist, nipping slightly at the sensitive skin there, and then pressing another kiss to the spot.

He then pulls back and smiles.] I'm not happy about our surroundings or the danger, but... I'm glad we're here together.

[Where would he be without Vector, honestly.]

If you would like, I could help you start into some form of a project to allow you to distract yourself.

[Oh look, it's the guy from the baths. And Reeve really needs to check in and make sure that Aden has a place that is not too hot for him, especially with the presumable approach of summer months.]

I'm good on distractions, but the mess is still just... A lot.

[Of course there's a reason for him not being able to handle this too well- a reason that he won't go into with someone he barely knows.]

... Haven't seen you since Risa. You been hanging in there?

I've been trying. There was a bit of an incident that put me on the sidelines briefly, but I am working my best here and now.

[But he understands the stress and frustration one could be dealing with in a place like this.]

Frankly, the mess is a bit much.

Glad to see you're back at it, in that case.

[He really needs to pay more attention to the network. Or just the other people here in general. Feels like he barely knows anyone at all.]

Isn't it, though?

I mean, I knew it'd be bad even after drying out from the storm, but...

From my understanding it has been long since any but us have walked this world. Quite likely no one has been around to clean it before now.

No kidding.

[Snark.] Honestly though, it's just... A lot to process. Distracting.

Giving me a migraine.

Perhaps there are ways it could be easier? Mostly just stay by the ships perhaps?

If I did that, I'd never leave. Last thing I want is to cage myself.

A fair point. Then perhaps we should see to tidying an area for you?

Kind of what I'm doing right now. I'm going to renovate this house, assuming there's not worse damage I can't see.

There could very well be worse damage I can't see.

Would you like me to come over for an inspection? I am an architect and engineer after all. I can find structural issues.

... Yeah. I'd appreciate it.

If you'd inform me of which structure you have chosen, Mini-C and I will come over to do a full inspection. I'm sure we can have it done in only a few hours.

[He sends the location.]

The sooner the better. If I need to relocate, it would be nice to know sooner rather than later.

Of course. Give me a brief bit of time to arrive.

[And sure enough he’s there within half an hour. When he arrives it is with a large stuffed animal walking at his side. Well, a half a foot tall.]

Flat | Top-Level Comments Only

Network: 002

[Video]

video;

video;

video;

no subject

video;

video;

video;

video;

video;

action;

action;

Re: action;

action;

action;

action;

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject